Crystal Clear
by SylvanDreamer
Summary: Oneshot. What do you do when your Divination teacher tells you you're going to meet your soulmate? Freak out? Believe said teacher? Search for said soulmate? Or all of the above? HarryDraco slash.


My definition of a one-shot – something that can be written in one sitting. Why am I writing? Three reasons. a.) My English prof totally complimented my last essay and it's got my spirits up b.) I finally bought The Mythology Class by Arnold Arre (**awesome **graphic novelist) c.) My best friends aren't fighting anymore. My first one shot. I'm still getting over the shock.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Crystal Clear**

"Have you guys heard?" Seamus Finnigan excitedly caught up to Harry, Ron and Hermione as they were making their way to the Gryffindor common room after the Welcome Feast.

The Sixth Years paused outside the portrait of the Fat Lady and waited for the slightly winded Seamus to continue. "There's a new Divination teacher!"

"Really? What happened to Trelawney?" Ron snickered.

"I heard she quit," Seamus told them with relish. "Something about going away to find her Inner Eye. The new Professor's named Eirdhart. Didn't see her at the Welcome Feast though…"

Harry groaned. "Bloody brilliant. Just what I need. Another Trelawney to announce my death to the entire world for me."

Hermione gave them a condescending look. "What did I tell you? You should have dropped it like me, shouldn't you? Then you'd actually be doing something worthwhile."

They entered the Gryffindor common room, Ron giving Hermione a black look and muttering about show-off know-it-alls. Rather unfortunately for him, Hermione heard and the whole evening ended with another shouting match between Ron and Hermione. It didn't help Harry's gloom any. He went to bed that night dreading the start of the new school year.

* * *

Most of the Sixth Years were already gathered beneath the Divination Room, Harry and Ron saw as they approached. They were mostly the same students except… Harry felt a lurch in his stomach as he saw a familiar head of platinum blond hair among the mass of students.

"Say it isn't so," he moaned to Ron. "What the bloody hell is _Malfoy_ doing here?! Does he even take Divination?"

Draco Malfoy's smirking face appeared out of the crowded multitude. "Happy to see me, Potter?"

"In your nightmares, Malfoy," Harry shot back. "What are you doing now, stalking me?"

Malfoy gave an elegant toss of his head. "Dropped Ancient Runes. I decided to take this up instead. Believe me Potter, if I wasn't so fascinated with the subject, I wouldn't be here at all. Considering you and the other trash that take this subject…" His eyes maliciously turned to Ron.

Ron's hands clenched into fists but before he could raise them, the silvery ladder fell down directly in front of Harry's feet. Malfoy grinned devilishly. "I guess that's your cue, Potter. The stairway to heaven."

Harry ignored him and proceeded to climb. When he finally got to the top of the room, his jaw dropped open. He looked around, just to check if this was actually the room he was supposed to be in. It was. But it had definitely undergone a makeover since the Trelawney days. Gone were the poufs and couches, the fireplace that burned perpetually, through hot and cold, the teacups, tarot cards, candles and crystal balls that surrounded the room.

Instead the windows had been thrown open, air and light pouring into the room. There were low, Japanese-style tables and beanbag chairs surrounded them. There were framed autographed posters of the Weird Sisters and various other Quidditch teams that adorned the walls. The ceiling was covered by murals of scenes that Harry guessed had been taken from the legend of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Scattered around the rooms were knickknacks such as a small spinning pyramid, two tribal spears, a unicorn ice sculpture and a rose that seemed to be licked by flames, yet never burning. Harry briefly wondered how far the insanity of their current teacher ran.

Ron let out a low whistle as he pulled himself up. "Blimey. She's improved the place a lot if you ask me. At the very least we can breathe properly."

The rest of the class made their way up. There were excited exclamations, murmurs, whispers and speculations. Harry saw Lavender and Parvati gossiping and wondering whether Eirdhart could measure up to their exalted Professor Trelawney.

Eventually, the students each found themselves beanbags and settled down on the comfortable squishiness. Not long after, they heard footfalls from a small room behind headed towards them. They drew themselves to attention. The door swung open.

"Hey," Eirdhart lazily threw out a greeting.

Everyone froze. Professor Eirdhart was a _man_. He reminded Harry slightly of Bill Weasley. He was in his mid twenties with long, chestnut hair pulled back in a ponytail, stormy gray eyes and refined features fixed in a lazy grin. His dark green robes were thrown carelessly open, revealing a lighter green cashmere sweater and black leather pants. Expensive chic was the overall effect. Harry snapped out of his gaze and saw that most of the girls were in various stages of drooling.

Ron was looking at Eirdhart half admiringly and half jealously. Malfoy, Harry saw, was glaring at the teacher with the same glare he usually reserved for Harry.

"Morning, all. I'm Trevan Eirdhart, your new Divination teacher," he said to them.

It was a full ten seconds before everyone managed to get their composure back and respond with a (slightly breathy in the girls' case), "Good morning."

Eirdhart grinned and Hannah Abbott sighed. "Well, I heard from Professor Trelawney you've pretty much covered the basics," he began. Harry prayed he wouldn't make them do 'the basics'. Eirdhart caught their looks. He chuckled. "And I also heard from Professor Dumbledore that nearly everyone here's more than a bit skeptical about Divination."

His students shot him 'Are-you-kidding?' looks. "Heh. I don't blame you. I was like you once. Thought Divination was a load of tosh. Didn't even take it when I went to Hogwarts."

Harry's brows shot up. A Divination teacher who hadn't taken Divination was a new one. Parvati raised her hand and Eirdhart angled his head to her direction. "Yes, Miss Patil?"

Parvati was caught by surprise. They hadn't told Eirdhart their names yet. "Er, well. I – I'm just wondering why you're teaching it now if you didn't take it Professor."

Eirdhart shrugged and plopped himself on the slightly higher beanbag in front of everyone. "I stopped doubting after I found out I was a real Seer."

Murmurs broke out at this. Eirdhart watched them, amused. "You don't believe me, do you? We-ell… since I feel the need to cement my reputation – and just because I want to get to know you guys. How about I tell your fortunes one by one?"

He was met with silence. He raised a brow. "Anyone want to try?"

Lavender Brown raised her hand. "I'll try, Professor."

Eirdhart smiled at her. "My thanks for saving me from embarrassment, Miss Brown. Now come on up here."

Lavender tentatively approached his table. Eirdhart waved his wand and a crystal ball appeared in front of him. He glanced at it for a while before turning back to Lavender. "I wouldn't if I were you," he told her. "He doesn't think of you like that. Your lost diary's with Mr. Finnigan. Inside his book bag, actually (Seamus visibly blanched). Wear gloves tomorrow morning. And whatever you do, _don't_ go and meet with that Ravenclaw boy on Friday night in the Astrology Tower. That's all."

A very shocked Lavender returned to her seat. There was a moment of silence before hands clamored and fought in the air.

Professor Eirdhart chuckled. "All right, all right one at a time."

Harry watched with a mixture of doubt and astonishment as Eirdhart told students seemingly nonsensical things.

"Carry some cherries with you tomorrow. Watch out for apples. Avoid them at all costs, actually. And tell your Gran not to buy that lunascope." To Neville.

"I doubt whether Miss Brown is very pleased with you, Mr. Finnigan. Go to the library tomorrow night, in the Herbology section. And I wouldn't go to the Gryffindor quidditch tryouts if I were you. Oh, be sure to practice the counterspell to the Bones of Hate hex. You'll need it." To Seamus.

"Don't tie your shoelaces on Saturday. That package you received is really from your brothers, not the Dark Lord," he paused and winked. "Don't worry, she feels the same way. I'd make my move right now if I were you. Venus is in the Second House. It's a great time. Although if you're still not feeling it, wait for 1 am on Sunday in the Gryffindor common room." To Ron.

Make your move? Second House? _Who_ felt the same way? Harry's mind whirled. What in Merlin's name was Eirdhart talking about?

Malfoy swaggered forward giving Eirdhart a dark look. Harry swore he saw Eirdhart smirk and wink at Malfoy. "Still doesn't know, eh? I don't know why you don't up and tell already. Although with you, the reaction would most probably hit the roof. You can tell Professor Snape about your mother, he'll know what to do. And don't drink anything Miss Parkinson offers you for the whole month."

Finally, Harry's turn came. It was with trepidation that he walked towards Eirdhart. Everyone looked on interestedly. Eirdhart grinned at him before looking into his crystal ball. For quite a long time, actually. When he turned to face Harry, there was an amused twinkle in his eye, not unlike Professor Dumbledore's.

"Interesting. This is a rare occurrence," the professor mused. "You're about to meet your soulmate."

"My what?" Harry asked, dumbfounded.

"Your soulmate," Eirdhart proclaimed with that self-satisfied smile. "That's all, Mr. Potter."

Harry returned to his seat. He didn't speak up until class was over when he told Ron to go ahead and that he'd catch up with him. He went to Eirdhart who was humming as he polished his crystal ball.

"Er, Professor. About what you said earlier…"

"You're wondering why that was my only prediction of you," Eirdhart said shrewdly.

"Well, yes."

"Mr. Potter, seeing a vision of two soulmates meeting is, as I have said, a very rare occurrence. Barely happens in a century. It is so powerful that it tends to overshadow all other mundane visions. Which is why it's the only thing I saw in your future," Eirdhart glanced at him speculatively. "To know who it is, you only need to know three things: first is the Eye of Horus, second is The Highwayman and third is the moon in the rulership of Uranus."

Harry repeated what he had said. "But what do they mean, professor?"

Eirdhart smiled mysteriously. "That's for you to find out."

* * *

Harry went to dinner still in a muddled state of mind only to find a shrieking Lavender and a cowering Seamus in the Gryffindor table. He turned to Ron and Hermione who were still obviously not on speaking terms.

"Lavender's diary _was_ in Seamus' book bag," Ron's voice sounded a bit disbelieving. He shook his head. "How d'you think Eirdhart knew? Reckon he could be a real Seer?"

Harry sighed. "I don't know what to think."

Hermione sniffed. "Of course not. If he were a _real_ Seer, he wouldn't go about flaunting it, would he?"

Ron scowled at her and the rest of dinner was spent with Harry playing peacemaker. Again.

* * *

The next week proved just how wrong Hermione was for the first time in her life. The morning following their Divination lesson, Lavender had worn gloves like Eirdhart had said. It had saved her hands from exposure to the Snapshade pus that Neville had been carrying and had spilled on the table. ("Good thing, too," Madam Pomfrey had said about Lavender's gloves. "It would've taken _months_ for your hands to heal if you hadn't been wearing gloves.")

Neville had carried cherries with him as Eirdhart told him and he had ended up finishing their terribly difficult Potions homework easily because it turned out Madam Pince had a yearning for cherries and in exchange had given Neville the book he needed.

Seamus had gone to the Herbology section that night and had bumped into Sarah Claridge, a Ravenclaw girl. In two hours, Seamus found himself unable to believe that he had actually snagged a girlfriend.

Ron had finally opened the anonymous package sent to him and it was chock full of products from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. "It's from Fred and George all right!" he happily said as he and Harry perused the contents.

Harry was still brooding over what Eirdhart had said. The Eye of Horus, the Highwayman and the moon in the rulership of Uranus. What if Eirdhart really was a Seer…? Harry's soulmate? Harry burned with the want to know _who_.

After dinner as Hermione stood up to go to the library, Harry stood up with her.

"I'll come with you, 'Mione," he ignored Hermione and Ron's shocked looks. "I have to look up something."

* * *

"Did you find out what Eirdhart meant?" Ron asked.

A slightly bleary-eyed Harry nodded silently. "Well, I found out about the Eye of Horus. It's an ancient symbol used as an amulet for wisdom, prosperity, protection, and good health. The rulership of Uranus means the constellation where the planet Uranus rules over or expresses its innate characteristics. It's astrology. The rulership of Uranus is the constellation Aquarius, so the moon in the rulership of Uranus must mean the moon in the constellation of Aquarius. I checked our astronomy charts and the moon is going to shift from Capricorn to Aquarius two weeks from now. I have no idea what the Highwayman can mean, though."

Hermione tutted impatiently. "So he got a few things right. You don't honestly believe he can predict the future, do you?"

Ron stared at her. "Hermione, Eirdhart told Neville to avoid apples at all costs. This morning, Neville nearly ate an apple in the Great Hall when a house elf popped in and stopped him just in time, telling him they had accidentally spilled cyanide on the apples! I'd say that's basis for belief!"

They bickered all the way to Potions. Harry was about to tell them to stop when a glint of gold caught his eye. He stared in disbelief. Standing in front of him was Draco Malfoy, sneer intact. And he was wearing…

"That's the Eye of Horus," Harry pointed. Hermione and Ron stopped arguing and gaped at Malfoy.

"I _know_ that Potter," Malfoy snapped. "And it's more expensive than all your things combined so don't touch. My mother bought this authentic from Egypt. If it's stolen, I'll know who took it, Weasley!"

Without another word, he and Crabbe and Goyle swept into the room. Harry stood shell-shocked.

"Not Malfoy," he said. "No way. This can't be right!"

"Listen, mate, it was probably a fluke!" Ron reassured him. "I'll bet there's lots of people who have amulets like that here. Besides, there are two more clues right? I'll bet they _don't_ point to Malfoy. Merlin, the mere thought is terrifying."

"And that's what you get for actually believing Eirdhart," Hermione told them as they stepped into Potions.

* * *

Harry tried to take his mind away from Malfoy. He really did. But the mere thought that Draco Malfoy _could_ be his soulmate rendered him quite unable to sleep properly for the next few nights. He found himself observing Malfoy unconsciously and surreptitiously the next few days. And he found himself discovering something quite unexpected.

Draco Malfoy wasn't always the arrogant git everyone painted him to be. There were times when Harry could have sworn Malfoy was actually nice. The blonde also had his thoughtful moments and Harry saw that he could actually be civil to people who didn't piss him off. He was loyal and (eavesdropping on a conversation he and Zabini had been having one night in the library) Harry found Malfoy was actually a human being. It made him wonder what side of Malfoy he would have seen had he taken his hand that day on the Hogwarts Express.

He was staring at Malfoy one morning over breakfast when the blonde's gray eyes looked up to meet his. Harry felt himself freeze. But instead of smirking or sneering or throwing a nasty comment, Malfoy merely gave him an unreadable look and turned away. When his eyes left Harry's, the world started to revolve again. Harry found himself slightly out of breath.

"Get a hold of yourself," he muttered.

Meanwhile, the predictions that Eirdhart made were still continuing to come true. Lavender didn't go to the Astrology Tower to meet the Ravenclaw boy and it turned out that the boy had lost his footing in the darkness and fallen. He was in the hospital wing with broken bones.

"To think that could've been me," Lavender had shuddered.

Neville had told his Gran not to buy the lunascope. Neville's Gran ignored him and bought it anyway. Three days later, it fell apart and the salesman who had sold it had 'mysteriously' disappeared. Neville's Gran was furious. Ignoring what Eirdhart had said, Seamus had gone to the Gryffindor quidditch tryouts and had been hit by a stray Bludger. He was out cold in the hospital wing. Ron had followed Eirdhart and not tied his shoelaces. He had tripped in front of the Slytherins who had gone on making fun of him. Fueled by fury, Ron had gone to the tryouts and spectacularly saved each and every goal, shocking everyone. Harry had elatedly made him Keeper on the spot.

Even Hermione was finding it harder to make excuses for Eirdhart's clairvoyance now.

* * *

Harry chucked another stone at the lake. The splashing sound joined the whistle of the wind that flew past his head. He looked up. Storm clouds were crowding around the full moon and the wind was picking up. It made the leaves of the trees rustle with a sound that Harry found comforting. The wind tossed his hair here and there and about. It felt wonderful after he had escaped from the crowded Great Hall. He turned to the full moon, partially covered by clouds. One more week from now and that moon would move from Capricorn to Aquarius. Then he'd know the next clue.

"It's poetry, Potter," a voice spoke from behind him.

Harry whirled around. Draco Malfoy stood behind him but his face wasn't sneering or smirking. He was looking up at the clouds, his face towards the wind. Harry found himself spellbound for a second before remembering that this was _Malfoy_.

"What d'you want, Malfoy?" he demanded shortly.

"It's poetry," Malfoy simply gestured to the sky and the trees of the Forbidden Forest. "_The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees/ the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas/ the road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor._"(1)

Harry stood dumbfounded for a second entranced by the rise and fall of Draco's voice. He looked out to the stormy landscape of Hogwarts again. Malfoy was right. It was poetry.

He turned back only to find that Malfoy had walked back inside to the Great Hall. Harry was left with his thoughts quite alone and getting colder by the minute.

* * *

Later that night, he, Ron and Hermione were writing their History of Magic essays by the common room fire. Harry bit his lip as he leafed through the textbook for more information on the vampire clan wars of the 1800's. His hands idly doodled on a spare bit of parchment as he quickly read paragraph about paragraph on the clan wars. Hermione peered over his shoulder to glance at the essay he had written when her eyes fell on the doodles he had made on the parchment. Frowning, she grabbed the parchment from him.

"'Mione?" he asked surprised.

"_The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees/ the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas/ the road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor_," Hermione read. "Harry? Where did you read this?"

Harry flushed as Ron looked at him curiously. He sighed before recounting to his friends his meeting with Malfoy. Ron frowned as though trying to make sense why Malfoy had acted like that. Hermione though had pursed her lips and was tapping her quill on a book.

"This passage sounds awfully familiar…" she murmured.

* * *

Harry and Ron didn't see Hermione for breakfast the following morning. They went off to Divination and after Divination, were in high spirits for lunch. Professor Eirdhart actually made Divination more interesting nowadays. Harry and Ron were happily conversing about the day's lesson when Hermione sped into the Great Hall and made a beeline for Harry and Ron.

"Here," she breathlessly set a book in front of Harry.

"'Mione? What – "

"Read it," Hermione told him.

Harry frowned but did as she asked. It was a poem. "_The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees/ the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas/ the road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor_/ _And the highwayman came riding/ Riding, riding/ The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door,_" Harry felt his blood go cold as he read the title of the poem. The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.

Ron, reading over his shoulder, had gone pasty white. "The Highwayman," Ron's voice was flat. "Wasn't that the second clue?"

Malfoy had been wearing the Eye of Horus and Malfoy had recited this passage to him. Harry closed his eyes. This was Not Happening. When he opened his eyes, Ron and Hermione were staring at him as though someone had died.

"This is insane!" he cried out. "Malfoy isn't my soulmate just because Eirdhart gives me three clues and two of them manage to fit him! It could all have been a coincidence!"

"Mate, what happens once won't happen again but what happens twice will happen a third time," Ron solemnly recited to him.

"Draco Malfoy is not and will never be my soulmate," Harry declared firmly. "And I doubt whether anymore of Eirdhart's visions will come true anyway."

* * *

With the affirmation of the second clue though, Harry found himself, much to his embarrassment, paying more and more attention to a certain blond-haired Slytherin. There were times when Draco would give a small smile when he thought no one was looking and Harry would find himself utterly entranced. Much as he hated to admit it, the blond fascinated him. And these feelings scared Harry. He would vehemently deny it in his mind each time it surfaced. He had taken to avoiding Draco Malfoy now. As much as possible. He didn't even acknowledge the blonde whenever Malfoy insulted him or threw a barb his way. He merely pretended as though Draco Malfoy didn't exist.

Of course he still kept looking at Malfoy when the blond didn't notice.

Unfortunately too for Harry, Eirdhart's predictions kept on coming true. Seamus had religiously practiced the counterspell to the Bones of Hate hex. Another one of Sarah Claridge's suitors – who happened to be in Slytherin – hadn't appreciated Seamus' stealing Sarah from right under his nose. He and his cronies had ganged up to hex Seamus who due to Eirdhart's clairvoyance had known the counterspell and escaped unscathed.

The one that took the cake for Harry, though, was Ron's last prediction. Taking Eirdhart's advice, Ron had stayed up until 1 am on Sunday in the Gryffindor common room with Hermione who was feverishly finishing an Ancient Runes translation. Harry had gone to bed early. He was shocked to wake up the next morning and see his two best friends holding hands.

Harry remembered what Eirdhart had said to Ron. _Don't worry, she feels the same way. I'd make my move right now if I were you… Although if you're still not feeling it, wait for 1 am on Sunday in the Gryffindor common room._

Eirdhart had gotten Hermione and Ron together. A feat that Harry thought could never be accomplished. He was torn between being half amused that Ron and Hermione were (finally!) together or half hysterical that so far, _none_ of Eirdhart's predictions had been wrong.

It was with a feeling of impending doom that Harry waited for the shift of the moon from Capricorn to Aquarius.

* * *

He had decided to skip dinner that night. Ron and Hermione had nodded and told him they understood. Harry had gone up to the Owlery. He had checked the Astronomy charts last week for the exact time when the moon would shift between constellations and had adjusted his watch accordingly. The moon was a perfect crescent. He stood on one of the windows, idly stroking Hedwig's feathers as he waited. Ten more minutes to go…

He wondered what would happen when the shift came. Hopefully, nothing earth shaking. Five more minutes…

At one more minute to go, Harry felt nervous. Hedwig ruffled her feathers in an attempt to calm him and he smiled at her. Then finally, the time had come. He glanced up at the moon at the same time he heard footsteps leading to the Owlery. His heart thumped in his chest as he turned towards the door. The footsteps grew closer. Harry stood up just as the Owlery door was thrown open.

Draco Malfoy walked inside, one hand carrying a letter. He stopped short when he saw Harry.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" he sneered, stepping closer. It was then that Malfoy saw that all the color had left Harry's face and he was looking at Malfoy as though Malfoy were the Dark Lord.

"Potter!" Malfoy shouted.

That seemed to get Harry's attention. He found his hands were trembling. "I, uh, er, well… that is, uh…"

"Are you daft, Potter? Have you completely lost your wits? Has that scar addled what little brains you possess?" Draco asked him, smirking. It was ruined though by the fact that Harry could find no malice reflected in those glittering gray eyes that looked almost silver in the moonlight.

Without another word, he bolted.

* * *

Ron and Hermione were waiting up for him in the common room. When he entered looking like he had seen the giant squid dancing ballet with Snape, Ron and Hermione knew something was wrong. They sat him down on one of the couches and Ron plied him with butterbeer filched from the kitchens. Ron and Hermione waited patiently as Harry sipped the butterbeer. After thirty minutes of listening to him mutter and curse and rant and rave, he finally told them what had happened. Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.

"Er, Harry, 'Mione and I have been talking," Ron began. "And…"

"And what?"

"Harry, mate," Ron shifted his feet uneasily. "We just wanna tell you that if Malfoy - ow! Mione!"

"Do it properly!" his girlfriend hissed.

"All right! We just want you to know that if Mal- Draco is really your soulmate, then we support you. You know, him being Malfoy and you being gay and all."

Harry was stunned silent for one whole minute. Then, "I AM NOT GAY AND DRACO MALFOY IS NOT MY SOULMATE!!!" he yelled.

Activity in the Gryffindor common room stopped right then and there.

"This is a private conversation!" Harry roared and everyone quickly returned to what they had been doing.

He forced himself to take a deep breath. "Look you guys, I really appreciate this but it's entirely unnecessary."

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said dubiously. "I talked to Professor McGonagall. She said that Eirdhart unlike Trelawney has his reputation as a Seer verified. And it seems that all the signs to what he said points to Draco Malfoy as your soulmate."

Harry shook his head disbelievingly, unable to swallow that it was really his _best friends_ saying this. His best friends were egging him to get it on with Draco Malfoy. There was something very wrong with that statement.

"Weren't you the one who said everyone deserves a chance?" Hermione asked gently. "Why not Draco?"

Harry looked at her with desperate eyes. Hermione sighed. "I know you're confused, Harry. Just… at least promise us you'll think about it?"

Harry nodded before standing up like an automaton and making his way up to his dormitories. With the eyes of all the Gryffindors in the common room looking after him.

* * *

It took Harry the better part of three weeks to sort out his feelings. It wasn't easy on Ron and Hermione as Harry vented out his anger and confusion to them, but being the best friends that they were, they put up with what they termed Harry's 'mood swings'. Finally, Harry deemed he had sorted it all out in his mind.

"Fine," was what he said to his friends. "I'll try giving it a shot."

Hermione beamed. "Oh, Harry," she reached over and hugged him. Ron awkwardly patted him on the back, still coming to terms himself with the fact that his best friend's soulmate was his worst enemy.

Harry had everything planned out. First, he was going to approach Draco and try to be his friend. Then he would get to know him better and well… Harry wasn't quite ready to think about what would happen next. First things first. His opportunity arrived when Snape paired them off to work on a Potions project and Harry's pair just happened to be Draco. Harry had never thanked Snape more than that moment.

He and Draco had planned to use most of Saturday working on the project. They had met up in the library and for the first couple of hours, they had spent their time religiously researching and not speaking to each other. As Harry's hand worked scribbling, his mind was busy frantically thinking of something (anything!) to say. The good news was Malfoy hadn't done or said anything bad to him since they started working. The bad news was, Malfoy hadn't said anything at all to him since they started working.

I'm hopeless, Harry thought miserably. He looked outside the windows. The day was cloudy with just the right breeze to it. A perfect day for flying. Not taking the tension any longer, he said the first thing that popped into his mouth,

"Let's go flying."

Draco's head shot up from where he was reading a book. His eyes traveled over Harry disbelievingly. "Let me get this straight, Potter," he drawled. "First you start ignoring me, then you run away from me in the Owlery like I had plague and now you're asking me to go flying with you like regular buddy buddies?"

Harry flushed. He didn't think Draco had noticed, damn it. "You're right," he began. "We're not 'buddy buddies'. But I'd like us to be. Unless it's too late for that?"

Draco merely stared at him before closing his book and picking up the pieces of parchment that littered the table. For one horrible moment, Harry thought he was going to leave. But he met Harry's gaze balefully.

"What are you waiting for? Get your broom, I'll meet you on the Quidditch Pitch."

* * *

Harry was shocked at how easy it was to get along with Draco Malfoy. They had spent that afternoon acting like the past six years of rivalry hadn't happened. And Harry had discovered a side of Draco he never knew existed. Draco was funny, charming and a great conversationalist. They talked about a lot of things, as easily as Harry could talk to Ron and Hermione. Gone was the Ice Prince exterior and Harry saw that if Draco wanted, he could actually be a normal person. Harry felt a rush of elation he had never known in his entire life.

He and Draco flew, traded brooms for a while, talked a lot, and ended up mostly in fits of laughter. Before the day was over, they were on first name basis with one another. Harry found it refreshing to be able to call Draco, 'Draco' for the first time in his life. Their Potions project lay forgotten for the day. After all, they had six years worth of friendship to catch up on. One afternoon surely could not compensate enough for that.

As the sun sank lower down the horizon, they lay on the cooling grass of the Quidditch Pitch and traded personal information about their lives. Harry learned the hardship and pressures of being a Death Eater's son. Especially when said son did not want to follow in his father's footsteps. Draco learned the weight of having the hopes of the entire Wizarding World on your shoulders. And for the first time since they met at Madame Malkin's, Harry and Draco understood each other fully and perfectly.

Draco saw the sun setting, bathing the grounds in a warm orange glow. "We'd better get in," he stated morosely. "Finish Potions tomorrow?"

"Sure," Harry perked at the thought of seeing Draco again.

They headed towards their respective shower rooms. As Draco entered the Slytherin shower rooms, Harry tried the knob on the door to the Gryffindor shower rooms and found it was locked. He cursed. There was nothing for it then.

"Hey, Draco?" he popped his head into the Slytherin showers.

"Yes?" Draco appeared from behind the lockers.

"Our showers are locked. Mind if I use yours?"

Draco shook his head. "We're the only ones here anyway."

Harry quickly took a shower, loving the warm water that seeped into his bones. Ten minutes later, he turned off the shower and reached for a towel. Only to find none. He cursed softly.

"Er, Dray?" he called out tentatively.

He was answered by a white fluffy towel thrown into the stall. Harry grinned. "Thanks."

He dried himself and wrapped the towel around his waist. Stepping out of the shower, he saw Draco and his heart nearly stopped beating. The blond was fresh from showering and his pale skin was slightly flushed. Harry couldn't help but find the blond hair that dripped around his face incredibly sexy and when he took into account the fact that Draco was also only wearing a towel from the waist down… His eyes met Draco's and he was shocked to see the emotion reflected in those gray orbs.

Before he knew what was happening, he and Draco had locked lips and were kissing passionately. Gasps and moans reverberated throughout the empty Slytherin shower room. When they broke up, both boys had to hold on to each other for support. The sheer passion behind the kiss left them weak and longing for more. Draco decided that more was good and captured Harry's lips again.

"I... told myself... I'd…" Harry gasped as Draco kissed along his jawline. "...take it slow."

Draco smirked. "We can do that." And took it _very_ slow.

After some time Harry growled and figured that he did _not_ want to take it slow.

Members of the Slytherin and Gryffindor house were left wondering that night where Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter had ended up. Only Hermione smiled knowingly.

* * *

A knock sounded from the floor. Professor Eirdhart didn't even turn from the book he was reading. He knew who had come to visit. "Come on up," he invited, kicking the silvery ladder down.

Draco Malfoy gracefully hoisted himself up. He stood there looking at Eirdhart. Eirdhart waited for a few moments.

He smirked. "Looks like everything panned out with your new boyfriend?"

Draco flushed. "Look, I just... thank you."

Eirdhart's expression softened slightly. "You're welcome, Draco," then the smirk returned full force. "After all, what are second cousins for?"

"So what do you want?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I told you I'd do anything for you if you helped me with Harry. You spoke to the headmaster about transferring me to Divination. You said that vision about Harry finding his soulmate - "

"Draco," Eirdhart cut in. "I didn't make that vision up. That was really what I saw in Mr. Potter's future. And that was also the reason why I helped you. Because I saw that the two of you really were meant for each other."

Draco's jaw dropped open, dignity momentarily forgotten. "Then you're saying – "

"You really are soulmates? Yes," Eirdhart wryly told him.

Draco stared at him before a rare, full smile broke out on his face. Eirdhart shook his head.

"Sometimes, things can be so crystal clear yet we wonder why we didn't see that they were like that in the first place."

* * *

"Harry?"

Draco watched as his boyfriend entered a small store. They were on their first date in Hogsmeade and Draco being Draco, he was spoiling Harry terribly. They had just gotten Harry an entirely new wardrobe (Draco proclaiming his boyfriend had to be as well-dressed as he was), and were on their way to Honeydukes (where Draco would probably buy out the entire shop for Harry).

Draco followed Harry inside the shop. It was rather charming, he saw. He walked over to where Harry stood, looking at something. The storeowner discreetly came up behind them.

"How much is this, sir?" Harry asked.

"Fifteen Galleons," the man replied. "Just came in. They're saying it's the best model yet. Are you taking Divination?"

Draco looked at the milky crystal ball. Harry took out the money and paid for it. As they walked out the store, Draco was the first to speak up.

"Why in Merlin's name did you have to buy that?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm giving it to Professor Eirdhart as a gift," he grinned at Draco. "I owe him that much."

_Sometimes, things can be so crystal clear…_ Draco nodded and smiled another one of his rare smiles. Yes, they did owe him that much.

**End**

Well, how was it? Read and review guys!

(1) – The Highwayman is a real poem by Alfred Noyes. If you're an incurable romantic like me, check it out. It's one of my favorite poems because its so romantic and so sad.


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